Kim Clijsters made her return to the WTA on the Chicago Fall Tennis Basic on Monday, however in her first match of 2021, the previous World No.1 from Belgium misplaced in her opening-round conflict to Hsieh Su-wei of Chinese language Taipei.
Within the first assembly between the 2 heralded veterans, Hsieh outlasted four-time Grand Slam champion Clijsters, 6-3, 5-7, 6-3, in a 2-hour and 18-minute tussle on Stadium Court docket in Chicago.
Extra from Day 1: Yastremska, Kudermetova advance; Hontama stuns Garcia on WTA debut in Chicago
Following her 2012 retirement, unranked Clijsters remains to be looking for her first match-win since coming again to WTA motion final season, having gone 0-3 in match play in 2020. After knee surgical procedure on the finish of final yr and a bout with COVID-19 this yr, Clijsters made her season debut however fell brief in opposition to Hsieh.
Hsieh, in the meantime, can be looking for a restoration in type. Since reaching her first Grand Slam singles quarterfinal on the Australian Open initially of this yr, Hsieh has did not win back-to-back matches at tour-level.
In opposition to Clijsters, Hsieh let 13 of her 20 break factors fall by the wayside, however her seven service breaks have been nonetheless sufficient to carry on in opposition to Clijsters. The Belgian did come again from breaks down in each the second and third units, however dropped the ultimate two video games of the match.
Clijsters obtained off to a sizzling begin, utilizing ferocious forehands to notch the primary three video games of the match. However Hsieh went on a tear from there, successful eight video games in a row to guide by a set and a break at 6-3, 2-0.
Nevertheless, aggressive-minded Clijsters pulled herself again into the match and punched a volley winner to garner an important break for 6-5 within the second set. Serving for the set, Clijsters saved two break factors earlier than firing a forehand crosscourt winner to stage the affair.
After falling behind a break within the last set, Clijsters clawed again on serve with a break for 4-3. However Hsieh gritted her approach by means of the following recreation, drawing errors from the Belgian to interrupt once more and serve for the match at 5-3. Hsieh erased two break factors in that recreation earlier than capturing victory after a large Clijsters miscue.
A difficult check awaits Hsieh within the second spherical if she needs to assert a second win in a row: World No.16 Ons Jabeur, the sixth seed from Tunisia. It is going to be the primary assembly between the 2 gamers, each of whom have an arsenal of artful pictures at their disposal.
No.10 seed Danielle Collins additionally gained her first-round tilt on Monday. The American eased previous one other Belgian, former Prime 20 participant Kirsten Flipkens, 6-4, 6-2, in an hour and 21 minutes.
World No.28 Collins gained practically 80 p.c of her first-service factors to steer previous 2013 Wimbledon semifinalist Flipkens and e book her spot within the second spherical.
Collins continues a breakthrough summer time, the place she gained her first WTA singles title on the clay courts on Palermo, then adopted up along with her second title simply two weeks afterward the hardcourts of San Jose. Collins has gained 15 of her final 18 matches.
Extra to observe….
